Films of the 2012 Arizona International Film Festival

Desperate for creative inspiration after his first and only film, horror screenwriter 'Jack the Hack' (Edward Furlong) makes a deal with his agent to sequester himself inside a meat locker in order to avoid worldly distractions and to induce ideas for his next big project.

Following the path of his father and uncle, Presley reluctantly remains a loyal follower of his smalltown civilian militia, the Brotherhood of the Lodge. But when the group's lawless activities become increasingly violent, he risks his own life by challenging their vigilante methods.

Justin, a young war veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder, finds that coming back home is filled with many unforeseen challenges. As a financial crisis and inadequate post-war veteran services conspire against Justin healing his physical and emotional scars, he maintains complicated relationships with his employer and teacher, at once accepting and rejecting their help.

Based on a short story by Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting), director Rob Heydon revisits the gritty realism of the Scottish drug scene through the seemingly carefree life of Lloyd (Adam Sinclair), a raver, dealer, and user who escapes life's responsibilities while being bullied and coerced by the local kingpin.

Two men (Lance Henriksen and Sean Elliot) with conflicting personalities find themselves stranded in an unforgiving wilderness with nothing but their instincts and the emotional baggage they carry. Through a set of strange and terrifying events, their past is slowly uncovered layer by layer.

Meher prefers to bury the memory of war in the soft forms of her sculpture. But when her young niece wants to hear about the past, Meher must face the truth head-on and finally mourn the love she lost.

Arizona's 22 federally recognized tribes convene in Flagstaff for the annual, regional state Frybread Championship. The prize: $10,000 and the spot to represent Arizona in the National Frybread Championship!

Pariah
Dee ReesUSA

Fri, April 137:00 pmCrossroads Festival

As if the ups-and-downs of everyday life aren't enough, Alike (Adepero Oduye) has to be contending with her dysfunctional family, keeping her sexuality a secret from them, and honing a passion for writing poetry that they don't necessarily agree with. What's a typical teenager girl to do?

When successful novelist Wesley's mother suffers a stroke and falls into a coma, he returns to the San Carlos Apache Reservation to be with his family. There, he learns that they have not forgiven him for leaving them and using their likenesses in his novel.

Spinning Kite
Satoshi KaseJapan

Thu, April 268:00 pmScreening Room

Fun-loving punk rockers Jun, Bunji, Maki, and Kido hope to never grow up. But one by one, the band mates face some very adult decisions. Will they be able to keep each other from spinning out of control?

Hank O'Shea lives a quiet life as a librarian who does nothing but go to work, do crosswords at the local diner, and bring home vinyl records for a simple night at home. When he suddenly inherits an estate that includes a sick, old, Norwegian woman he can't communicate with, Hank's world is turned upside-down.

After two decades of searching, Rebecca found her missing brother. He is homeless and mentally ill. Determined to help him, she and her family must confront some painful secrets.

Ballybrando
Brendan J. Byrne Ireland

Set in the Irish fishing village of Ballycotton, and starring Marlon Brando, Johnny Depp, Debra Winger, John Hurt, and Angelina Ball, Divine Rapture should have hit theaters in the mid-1990's. However, it was never completed, and Ballycotton residents can only reminisce about what might have been.

Ron Coney has been teaching music in Ireland's only high-rise housing project for fifteen years. During this time, he has seen the area undergo a dramatic transformation, and he sets out to produce a collection of music to help the area's young people share their story.

Where do circus performers come from? Meet Circus Smirkus, the only traveling youth circus in America. Packed under its Big Top tent are jugglers and acrobats, gymnasts and red-nosed clowns, performers between ten and eighteen, some of whom are in their first season, others veteran performers.

Filmmaker Harvey Hubbell V is one of 35 million Americans who have dyslexia. Hubbell journeys across the USA to learn more about the condition, and discovers that scientists are close to unlocking the secrets of dyslexia, which is the key to teaching everyone how to read, and stamping out illiteracy.

Slender and blond, Nadya is only 13-years-old when she is discovered by Ashley, a model scout. This is Nadya's chance to leave her farming community in Siberia and make money to help her family. Promised jobs and thousands of dollars, she sets off alone for Tokyo to become a model.

Inocente
Susan MacLauryUSA

Sun, April 222:00 pmScreening Room

Fifteen year old Inocente is homeless. But she is also an artist whose vivid canvasses reach out to the world.

Weisberg's penetrating exploration of US healthcare reveals an unnerving statistic: unnecessary services account for 30% of healthcare costs, and the US spends 2 1/2 times more per capita than the average Western European country. Even worse, more healthcare does not guarantee better patient health, and on the contrary can be detrimental.

Anita Buel is a 24-year survivor and founder of the Pink Deafies, the only breast cancer support group for deaf women in the country. Shortly after a brief television interview on a local station, Buel became a magnet for deaf women across the US desperate for information about breast cancer.

n Juneau, Alaska, Cory Mann is a half-Tlingit, half-white, hustling entrepreneur, always on the move. Yet, for a couple months each year, he leaves the dollar concept behind. Instead, he heads north to smoke salmon in his home village.

Tales of the Waria
Kathy HuangUSA

Tue, April 176:00 pmScreening Room

Waria are biological men who dress and live openly as women. They have long been a recognized group within Indonesia's predominantly Muslim culture. Three members of the waria and a former waria share their lives and unique circumstances.

Nine year old Kathy and Sheriff Arpaio have different ideas about immigration law enforcement and justice. The wrong decision risks devastating consequences for affected individuals, local government and Arizona.

Three best friends live on the Navajo Indian Reservation in a town without running water, and where the high school graduation rate is 56%. Seniors in high school, they face a big decision about leaving their community for college.

Beside the hurricanes and oil spills, southern Louisiana is also the fastest disappearing land mass on the planet. Every 45 minutes, a football-field's worth of land is lost. Celebrated and beloved by residents, the wetlands of Louisiana are a striking victim of human choices made over decades.

War Zone/Comfort Zone
Lizzie WarrenUSA

Sat, April 212:00 pmOro Valley Library

Sun, April 2212:00 pmScreening Room

Like the men in their units, women soldiers work long hours, face serious injury, and are at risk for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Transitioning back to civilian life is especially difficult as female veterans lack many of the services and much of the support available for their male counterparts.

Children used to play with horny toads when the strange looking creatures were everywhere and could be caught easily. These days, though, they're not so simple to find. In fact, many folks have never seen one. Where have these iconic reptiles gone?